Last week my wife and I took a 30th wedding anniversary trip to Hawaii. We adventured up Haleakala, took the Road to Hana, traversed Volcanoes National Park, went snorkeling at Molokini Crater, and visited Pearl Harbor.
The weather was fantastic, the beaches were splendid, and the overall experience was delightful.
So why is this blog entitled Adversity?
Every day when we left for and returned from our adventures we drove through Lahaina.
We drove within 3 blocks of where the fire started. We witnessed the charred remains of people’s houses and businesses. We looked at the memorial for those who lost their lives.
It is difficult to put into words the devastation that occurred on August 8, 2023. Hurricane-driven winds and downed electrical wires conspired to ignite an inferno and eliminate escape routes.
The real tragedy is that the initial brush fire on the morning of August 8 was contained. Firefighters arrived on the scene quickly and extinguished the fire within a couple of hours. They then stood by for an additional five hours monitoring for any flare ups before returning to their station.
Less than an hour after they left, the fire reignited and, driven by high winds, quickly progressed downhill through Lahaina.
Just over one year later, debris removal from Lahaina is almost complete. We observed just one single new home under construction amongst the charred neighborhood landscape – the rising new lumber offering a bright sign of a hopeful future.
Adversity is never enjoyable. Whether we are facing family troubles, health challenges, or a stock market downturn, our clear preference would be to completely avoid it if possible. Yet we know life is not that easy.
Yet adversity can strengthen resolve and build confidence. Hopefully for Lahaina this means residents and businesses are able to return to their city at some point in the future. It will take time and patience.
For those of us blessed to face less severe adversity, overcoming or adapting to the curveballs of life can be merely uncomfortable on a relative basis. We exist to help our clients plan for future, as well as to adapt to adversity.
If you care about someone who could use some guidance in overcoming their curveballs, please share us with them.
Quote of the week: Dutch proverb: “In prosperity, caution; in adversity, patience.”